Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Josh Thomson
The fight was Josh Thomson's Dream debut. The Fight The first round began. Thomson landed a leg kick and a blocked front kick. Thomson blocked a high kick and a body kick. Kawajiri barely blocked a high kick himself. Four thirty-five. Thomson kneed the body and landed a blocked high kick and missed a question-mark kick off the back leg. They clinched. Four fifteen. Four minutes. Kawajiri worked a trip and got it to guard nicely. Kawajiri landed a left hammerfist there. Three thirty. Kawajiri was looking to pass. Three fifteen. Kawajiri passed to half-guard. Three minutes left. Two thirty-five. Kawajiri was close to passing. He passed and was trying hard to mount. He was there. Two fifteen. Thomson was bucking hard. Kawajiri had the grapevines. Two minutes. Kawajiri landed three lefts. One thirty-five. Kawajiri had the body triangle with the grapevines. Thomson regained the butterfly guard nicely. One fifteen. Kawajiri passed to half-guard. He landed a right hand. One minute left. Kawajiri landed a right hand and a right hammerfist. Thirty-five. Thomson regained guard. Kawajiri landed a pair of right hammerfists. Kawajiri was bleeding from the nose from Thomson's hammerfists from the bottom, however. Fifteen. Kawajiri landed a left hammerfist and ate an upkick. The first round ended there. 10-9 Kawajiri. The second round began. Thomson missed a Superman punch and a high kick slipping. They clinched and Kawajiri got a throw to mount beautifully. The first ten seconds, wow. Four thirty-five. Kawajiri worked for an arm triangle. Thomson was defending. Kawajiri passed to the side working it tight. Four fifteen. Thomson was panicking a bit. Kawajiri had so much strength. He remounted and still had it tight. Four minutes as he let it go. Thomson kept trying to buck out. Kawajiri had that body triangle on the grapevines again however. Very impressive. Three thirty-five. Thomson regained the butterfly guard. Kawajiri was bleeding from the nose. Thomson stood to the clinch and kneed the body. Three fifteen. Kawajiri worked a double. Three minutes as he got a throw to guard. The ref moved them to the center. Thomson landed a right hammerfist from the bottom to that nose. Two thirty-five. Kawajiri landed a right hammerfist himself there. Kawajiri landed a right hand and a pair of hammerfists. Two fifteen. He landed a right hand. Thomson had the back beautifully in a scramble. Kawajiri turned to guard. Two minutes. Blood was all over Thomson's shoulder and chest. One thirty-five. Kawajiri landed a big right forearm. Thomson stood to the standing back. He got a big double slam. One fifteen. Thomson had the back in the scramble. One minute as Kawajiri hunched over defending. Thomson had one hook in. Blood spewed from Kawajiri's nose. Thirty-five. The ref broke them up. Fifteen as Kawajiri landed an inside kick. They both nearly slipped from a front kick by Thomson. The second round ended. 10-9 Kawajiri. The third round began. Thomson landed a body kick and a right hand. He landed a blocked high kick and ate a counter right between the eyes. They clinched. Kawajiri kneed the leg. Four thirty-five. Thomson kneed the body and again. Kawajiri defended the trip. Four fifteen. Kawajiri got a trip to half-guard. Four minutes. Three thirty-five. Kawajiri passed to side control, wait almost. Three fifteen as Thomson kept him in half-guard. Kawajiri passed. Three minutes. Thomson kneed the back from the bottom. Kawajiri replied to the body. Kawajiri mounted. He went back to side control. Two thirty-five. Thomson gave up the back. Kawajiri had both hooks and turned to mount. Thomson regained half-guard. Two fifteen as the ref moved them to the center. Kawajiri passed to side control. Two minutes. Thomson kneed the body from the bottom. Thomson was defending knees to the head but three came. Another landed. Another to the body there and another. Another to the head and another. One thirty-five. Thomson stood and broke. Kawajiri blocked a high kick. Thomson landed a right uppercut and a blocked high kick. One fifteen. Thomson landed a flying knee and another and kneed the face. Thomson defended a double to the clinch. One minute as Kawajiri got a trip to half-guard. Kawajiri mounted and worked towards another arm triangle there. Thirty. He passed to the side. Fifteen. He had the choke tight from side control. Kawajiri remounted letting it go. The third round ended and they slapped hands and hugged. Thomson bowed to Kawajiri and they stood and hugged again. Kawajiri by UD.